Standard Lease Agreements – Should You Be Wary?

There’s no doubt that the Internet is a wonderful resource for just about everything these days including finding documents on the fly that you can use for your business but one document that you should never use is a standard lease agreement.

Why?

All rental properties are different and a standard lease agreement should only be used as a guide or starting point for creating your final lease agreement.

What Clauses Should Your Lease Agreement Have?

Besides the basics, your standard lease agreement should have the following clauses:

Severability – This is without a doubt a very important lease clause. Basically, this clause states that if one part of the lease is deemed to be illegal for some reason, the rest of the contract is still legally binding.

Subleasing – You must decide if you’re comfortable with you will allow your residents to sublease their rental property; and if so, under which conditions.

Joint & several liability. This is one of the more common lease clauses. It means that each party to the lease is jointly and individually responsible for fulfilling the contract.

Renewal. Detail how the lease will be automatically renewed, if at all. Some lease clauses require the landlord and/or residents to give at least 60 days’ notice if they don’t plan to renew the lease at the end of its term; some don’t.

Use of premises. This clause details who can use the unit (e.g. only the residents listed on the initial lease) and for which purposes. The language might stipulate that any person staying in the property for more than two weeks in any 6-month period will be considered a tenant.

Get Property Management Here

For professional property management contact Pellego Property Management today by calling us at (425) 256-2122 or click here to connect with us online.